1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of user-based cellular networks, and more particularly, to the extraction of tempo-spatial data related to users of such networks.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Prior to setting forth the background of the related art, it may be helpful to set forth definitions of certain terms that will be used hereinafter.
The term “user-based cellular network” as used herein in this application, is defined as any network that is based upon geographical partition of space into cells. Each cell is provided with at least one base station, being the end point of the network, which may communicate with specific network-connected devices operatively associated with users. Cellular networks may comprise cellular wireless communication networks for mobile telephony, wireless internet network such as Wi-Fi and Wi-Max. Additionally, these networks further comprise network of payment points in stores and businesses and a network of automated teller machines.
The term “user equipment” (UE) as used herein in this application, is any network-connected device uniquely affiliated with a particular user and therefore associated with the particular user related data, or user profile. These network-connected devices may be, but are not limited to: cellular phones, personal device accessories (PDA), portable computers with wireless connectivity (WiFi, WiMax etc.), payment cards (credit cards, debit cards, electronic money cards) with location identifiers and Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.
The term “client relationship management” (CRM) as used herein in this application, is defined as the processes a company uses to track and organize its contacts with its current and prospective customers. CRM software is used to support these processes; the software system can be accessed, and information about customers and customer interactions can be entered, stored and accessed by employees in different company departments. Typical CRM goals are to improve services provided to customers, and to use customer contact information for targeted marketing. CRM data refers to sales, marketing, customer service, customer profile or any details on any customer contacts stored in the system.
Traditionally, statistics methods or any large scale marketing research are considered human labor intensive, expensive and extensive, time consuming. Further limitations are that these statistics researches are made with a relative small sample, and non up-to date or non available for small granularity of time-space units. Such obstacles results in a non accurate space relate data with time stamp that highly differ from the transaction time of the database.